Augie Ray

Semi-retired consultant and advisor on #CustomerExperience (#CX) and Voice of the Customer (#VoC). Former Gartner and Forrester analyst. Politically active to foster a world that has more #equity, respects #diversity, and embraces #progressive causes. Promoting #COVID19 awareness and caution because people, businesses, and the economy will suffer consequences for our failures to limit infections. Milwaukee, WI, US (He/Him)

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Last Notes

2026-10-27 17:40:09 UTC

Your Republican friends probably think the US has won the Iran War because they believe anything spoonfed to them by Trump and FOX News. Feel free to educate them before they vote: October has brought more attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz than any month since tracking began, with Reuters counting at least twenty-eight. Traffic is falling again, with only five commodity vessels crossing on Saturday and none on Sunday. 1/3
https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/donald-trump-has-a-problem-iran-is-attacking-ships-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-now-at-record-levels/

2026-10-27 14:28:15 UTC

Based on WastewaterSCAN data, the summer #COVID19 surge continues to retreat at a somewhat modest pace. We are likely within a month of our winter surge beginning, and it will likely be particularly bad in the Midwest (given it's low summer levels). Surges are much smaller than they used to be, but COVID's still evolving, our vax rate is plunging, and people face more chronic Long COVID risks than they realize. A little care goes a long way!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/513/328/866/554/245/original/726ffc490a109e7f.png

2026-10-26 17:03:04 UTC

When Trump says, "We're making money like we've never made before," he means you're paying and he's profiting.
Stop waiting for your GOP-voting friends to come to their senses. At some point, you're going to have to recognize that there is no amount of illegality, immorality, or graft that will alter conservatives' voting, provided their candidates reinforce and enact their racism and bigotry.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-oil-gas-stocks-gain-millions-iran-war-democratic-report-finds/

2026-10-20 12:59:54 UTC

The NY Times just published an article that compares #COVID19 infections to Russian Roulette--every time you get COVID, it could the time or leaves you with chronic and even disabling health problems.
I wish more would take greater care during surges when we know infection risks can be 10x or more greater. And FAR more of you should be getting vaccinated annually. You're taking unnecessary risks, but you do you. An ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/well/covid-reinfection-risks.html?unlocked_article_code=1.J1E.dUDn.eCQ8itLMZ0hx&smid=url-share

2026-10-20 12:02:27 UTC

Good morning from Gulf Shores, AL.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/473/132/236/812/241/original/5d65135b311d3d41.jpg

2026-10-19 04:26:45 UTC

Some photos from the Whitney Plantation (dedicated to educating visitors on the experiences of enslaved people) and Oak Alley Plantation.
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2026-10-15 14:00:16 UTC

Are you voting? A reminder: He didn’t keep the US out of wars. Inflation is higher. Gas is pricier. Groceries are more expensive. Healthcare premiums are climbing. Tariffs are still a tax on American consumers. The deficit is higher and rising. Manufacturing is losing jobs, not gaining them. ICE isn’t going after the “worst of the worst.” US citizens have been killed by undertrained, overly aggressive federal immigration agents. He’s alienated allies and emboldened our foes. 1/4

2026-10-15 13:21:22 UTC

STUDY: "COVID-19 vaccination has proven effective beyond the acute phase of the disease, with protection extending to a reduced risk of post-COVID cardiovascular conditions."
Get your #COVID19 vaccination if you can.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rmv.70219

2026-10-06 20:17:58 UTC

Just got my #COVID19 and flu shot! (I think this is my 10th COVID vaccination.)
Of course, there are people who like to act like the COVID vaccine doesn't work because we need to keep getting it—but today was my 10th flu vaccination in the past decade, so…
Get vaccinated!

2026-10-04 23:27:14 UTC

Trump, who took out full page ads demanding the death penalty for five Black and Latino teenagers falsely accused of rape (and never apologized after they were exonerated) is speaking out because he's worried that the seven Cornell frat boys accused of rape (who are mostly white) "won't get a fair shake."
I wonder what the difference is.

2026-10-04 01:47:01 UTC

Am I the last person to know that phenylephrine, the active ingredient found in Sudafed PE, has been found by the FDA to be ineffective at relieving nasal congestion? Sudafed PE and other allergy meds on the store shelf were found by the FDA to perform no better than a placebo.
The same is NOT true for the Sudafed behind the counter which requires your signature. Original Sudafed contains pseudoephedrine, which remains proven and effective as an oral decongestant. 1/2

2026-10-02 20:03:05 UTC

If you really want to know the heart of MAGA, just realize Trump is losing his base because of gas prices, not for protecting pedophiles, profiting from his office, harming immigrants trying to follow our legal process, shielding ICE agents who murdered Americans, alienating allies, enabling dictators, or lying to Americans every day.

2026-10-02 14:12:14 UTC

The current administration and congressional Republicans have paused several controversial policies until after the 2026 midterms to avoid voter backlash. If you don't vote for Democrats, you'll be supporting Republicans who KNOW these unpopular actions will harm people and who avoided enacting them before the midterms to prevent more damage to GOP candidates.
if Republicans maintain control, the post-election session will trigger:
1/3

2026-10-01 21:48:12 UTC

A day driving Trail Ridge Road, which rises to more than 12,000 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/367/851/147/993/654/original/34c2e44dcdaa08b7.jpg
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2026-09-30 01:21:52 UTC

Quick #COVID19 update: Per WastewaterSCAN, the region with the highest levels of COVID is now the Northeast. The South and West are declining after hitting their peaks in late August and early September. Meanwhile, the Midwest is staying relatively level and low. These levels are still well below most of the surges of the last several years.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/357/367/185/407/298/original/45e2834f54951519.jpg

2026-09-29 21:42:28 UTC

Republicans say they want to protect women which is why they make an issue of transgender people in sports. But there are more men from one Cornell fraternity accused of rape than there are openly transgender women competing in all of professional sports.
Let's talk about where the real headlines and political outrage should be focused!

2026-09-27 02:56:22 UTC

Speaking as someone who just visited and was bedazzled by Grand Teton National Park, let me ask, WHAT THE F*@& IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!
The Trump administration is considering the construction of a baseball park in Grand Teton National Park after being approached by Major League Baseball about hosting a game on public lands.
Are you going to vote in six weeks? Are you asking everyone you know to vote? It's time to return sanity, ethics, and patriotism to the US.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/09/26/trump-officials-weigh-mlb-game-grand-teton-national-park/

2026-09-24 01:06:50 UTC

Sorry, more photos from Arches National Park. After our morning visit, we rested up and returned to see the formations with different lighting. It makes a big difference!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/323/333/932/764/605/original/b317cb175245ef1c.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/323/334/032/878/309/original/25c77ac01b4b3d37.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/323/334/123/820/285/original/22d12efb16665b7f.jpg

2026-09-23 18:45:42 UTC

A morning in Arches National Park.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/321/835/008/093/400/original/e51e7056b36b3a48.jpg
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2026-09-20 20:33:55 UTC

Today, we visited Kodachrome Basin, a beautiful state park that was empty--a nice change of pace from the crowds in Bryce Canyon. We returned to Bryce, only to find the parking lots closed due to crowds, so we turned around and headed back to our hotel for a rest.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/305/268/009/529/286/original/bcc48c0a62dddb52.jpg
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2026-09-12 03:05:18 UTC

WastewaterSCAN shows a jump in #COVID19 that is almost entirely driven by the South. The Midwest and Northeast are fairly low but drifting upward. The Midwest is barely above it's LOWEST point in fall, while the Northeast is about 50% above it's fall low (while being almost 75% below its winter peak). The West seems to have plateaued (about 1/3 below where it was a year ago). But the South is still spiking around 50% higher than at any point in the past year. 1/2
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/255/947/422/141/806/original/c2911eb8ef22e690.jpg

2026-08-30 22:49:45 UTC

Study after study say: Vaccinations work.
People say: 🤷‍♀️
STUDY found that multiple #COVID19 vaccinations progressively reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.
One jab: 4% reduction
Two jabs: 18% reduction
Three jabs: 42% reduction
https://academic.oup.com/ehjqcco/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ehjqcco/qcag139/8776131?login=false

2026-08-30 20:24:02 UTC

At present, there are some sewersheds reporting to WastewaterSCAN that are very high:
Little River, Roswell, GA: 1702 PMMoV (perhaps 1 in 50 infectious)
West Boise, ID: 823
West Bank, New Orleans, LA: 721
Utoy Creek, Atlanta, GA: 531
East Bank, New Orleans, LA: 510
Eastern, Orange County, FL: 448
Southwest, Orange County, FL: 443
Key Biscayne, FL: 435
Tallahassee, FL: 426
St. Cloud, MN: 408
At 400 PMMoV, between 1 in 60 and 70 is infectious. 1/3
https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker?charts=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%3D%3D&selectedChartId=23f403

2026-08-29 14:58:00 UTC

A new study explains why it's so important to keep getting updated #COVID19 booster vaccinations. It's dense and scientific, so here's a plain-language summary.
When your immune system first meets a virus (via infection or vaccine), it builds memory cells tuned to that exact version. When you're later exposed to a mutated variant—and COVID keeps mutating—your immune system tends to “recall” those old cells rather than build new ones. This is called “immune imprinting.” (1/4)

2026-08-29 14:35:10 UTC

The US is giving cash to non-violent black and brown immigrants to self-deport while increasing what it pays white South Africans to immigrate to the US.
They're not even trying to hide the racism any longer.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/08/28/white-south-africans-could-get-4500-aid-if-they-come-us-refugees/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

2026-08-29 00:47:35 UTC

My vacation is coming at a good time, because I'm thinking of abandoning my COVID coverage. I'm more tired of fighting misinformation about inflated risks now than I was fighting minimizer information in the past.
A COVID account posted that Texas was at ridiculous levels. I shared the data from WastewateSCAN that suggested that was wrong, got called a liar, and blocked. 1/2

2026-08-28 20:50:26 UTC

Mapquest will let you rename the Gulf of Mexico to whatever the heck you want it to be.
https://gulfof.mapquest.com/
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/175/104/610/127/669/original/9fead42f78a17f43.png

2026-08-28 16:51:11 UTC

My final #COVID19 update for a couple of months (due to a vacation.)
- COVID levels are still rising in the US.
- COVID much worse in the South and West than the Northeast and Midwest.
- This surge is still lower than past surges.
- Since I won't post again for a while, I've included links and tips for how to check risks in your area.
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/covids-summer-surge-continues-my-last-weekly-update-august-28-2026-for-a-while-f483f6635922

2026-08-28 14:00:24 UTC

The current #COVID19 surge is continuing, and based on the continued rise of the positive rate of testing, it's likely it will continue for at least another two to four weeks.
It's a significant surge, but if we compare this to past surges, it's still much lower.
This chart is of all US sites reporting to WastewaterSCAN with 1 site removed (Coeur d'Alene, ID, which had a brief extreme outlier level that skews the entire chart).
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/173/479/595/409/211/original/b64e5b178db5dae3.png

2026-08-27 19:02:20 UTC

Leaving notes on cars with Trump and MAGA bumper stickers can be fun!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/169/008/578/109/194/original/7e871230c13442af.png

2026-08-26 15:00:27 UTC

I am unfollowing COVID-aware accounts on which I've relied for years. I can't tell if they are purposely inflating risks or don't understand the data.
One just compared the NWSS wastewater viral activity level (WVAL) metric year to year to argue this surge was among the worst. But the NWSS shifts its baseline to compare COVID to levels the past 24 months. The baseline is 33% to 45% lower than it's been in years, which makes this surge LOOK high compared to those in 2024/25 when it's not. 1/2
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/162/374/765/223/560/original/66fbff20607b8d67.png

2026-08-25 21:29:27 UTC

This summer's #COVID19 surge is not limited to the South and West, although it's still concentrated there. At present, the 10 highest COVID levels on WastewaterSCAN are in:
Warren, MI (1174 PMMoV, perhaps 1 in 50 infectious)
Gautier, MS
Northwest, Saint Petersburg, FL
College Park, GA
Utoy Creek, Atlanta, GA
Montpelier, VT
Eastern, Orange County, FL
East Bank, New Orleans, LA
West Bank, New Orleans, LA
Sand Island, Honolulu, HI
https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker?charts=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%3D%3D&selectedChartId=749a56

2026-08-25 20:10:33 UTC

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has given away over 300 million free books to children worldwide.
We need more Dollys and much fewer Elons.
RIP Dolly.

2026-08-23 13:29:07 UTC

“Most transparent administration ever,” the people in the Trump administration keep saying as they muzzle the press corps, threaten media sources, and withhold information.
Three respected journalists at Stars and Stripes were fired for having the temerity to assert that the newspaper should maintain its historic editorial independence, free of censorship.
Healthy democracies don't do these things. Authoritarian states do.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/stars-and-stripes-editor-reporter-fired-for-insubordination-after-doing-cbs-interview

2026-08-23 01:39:54 UTC

One thing to note about this summer's surge of #COVID19:
COVID tends to surge most in one period where it surged least in the prior period. (This is because fewer people have a recent infection, which provides some immunity.)
This past winter, the South had a small surge and the West a minuscule surge compared to the Northeast and Midwest. So, now we're seeing the worst levels of COVID primarily in the South and West. 1/2
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/142/243/453/516/869/original/c7651b6ba724de91.png

2026-08-21 21:48:25 UTC

Good Lord, is everyone in this idiotic administration dedicated to fighting wars in the 1940s? Trump made an order to replace modern magnetic launch systems with old-fashioned steam systems. Now, because of a dick-swinging contest in the Pentagon, the army is phasing out a drone battalion in favor of training soldiers to parachute and drop out of aircraft. What dangerous lunacy—all thanks to Republican voters. This administration is making the US less safe every day.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-army-ending-drone-battalion-ukraine/

2026-08-20 17:00:31 UTC

We do not talk enough about the insane selfishness of the ultra-wealthy. Imagine being worth hundreds of millions or billions of dollars and being upset at the idea that you should pay a little more tax to balance the budget, ensure health care for the poor, or educate children. We need to start calling this what it is: unpatriotic, psychotic, greed.

2026-08-20 14:32:36 UTC

Is it too much to ask that major news media actually be informed and report accurately about #COVID19? Yes, COVID is rising now in most of the US. No, this has NOTHING to do with respiratory virus season. COVID has surged EVERY SINGLE SUMMER since 2020, and then it surges again when other viruses rise in winter. (COVID has never settled into the "endemic" routine of surging once a year in winter.)
https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/20/health/covid-summer-wave

2026-08-19 13:05:16 UTC

I mean, who hasn't climbed into an SUV trunk to travel with our bosses or sent letters to bosses that closed with “With All My Heart”? (None of us, because that shit isn't normal.)
Imagine Michelle never moved into the White House with Barack Obama, so he traveled everywhere with a young woman as his constant companion. I'm sure family-value Republicans would've had nothing to say about that, right?
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/us/politics/natalie-harp-trump-devotion-white-house.html?unlocked_article_code=1.6lA.4pGq.N_SphyEn6_8I&smid=url-share
https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/18/politics/natalie-harp-trump-aide

2026-08-18 15:13:43 UTC

I was asked what I do to remain cautious about #COVID19 and viral infections.
The clearest things are decisive actions:
- I get vaccinated (obviously)!
- I mask in crowds or when traveling on planes, trains, and buses.
- I choose outdoor options or places with big, open doors and windows.
- I meet friends at our or their homes instead of crowded bars.
- I pick less crowded times (such as matinees for movies or mid-afternoon meals in restaurants during lulls).
I also do other things. 1/2

2026-08-18 12:50:17 UTC

I am still concerned about the long-term impact of #COVID19 reinfections, but I understand why so many people have grown apathetic.
In the midst of a summer surge, the level of COVID in US wastewater (and hence the number of infections) is 50% lower than last year on this date and 80% lower than in 2024.
The number of people hospitalized now is 97% lower than a year ago and 98.5% lower than in 2024.
I still take care from the chronic risks of COVID, but I'm still happy risks have plunged. 1/2

2026-08-17 19:25:46 UTC

Years ago I was contacted about a job opening at Uline. I told them I'd never work for their unethical right-wing company. I was lucky enough to have a choice, and I understand why others may not. Still, it would be better for the world if we could stop buying from and working for companies funding divisive, racist, and damaging policies.
https://www.propublica.org/article/uline-uihlein-election-denial

2026-08-17 13:57:02 UTC

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs.
Giant Trump MAGA superstore selling off its remaining inventory at a 50 percent discount and closing its doors “for lack of business.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-merchandise-store-out-of-business-b3033705.html

2026-08-16 23:25:13 UTC

Novak Djokovic suffered a surprising 2nd-round defeat to Argentina's Thiago Agustín Tirante at the 2026 Cincinnati Open. He says he is suffering from “a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years.”
He refused to get vaccinated for #COVID19 and has tested positive at least twice. I wonder what his long-term health condition could be.
Get vaccinated as recommended by public health agencies and your doctor!
https://sundayguardianlive.com/sports/cincinnati-open-2026-novak-djokovic-reveal-ongoing-health-condition-following-shock-cincinnati-open-defeat-to-thiago-tirante-262671/

2026-08-16 23:15:14 UTC

- reply

The situation is still fairly steady and low in the Midwest and Northeast. COVID levels are higher in the South, but there have been some signs the surge in the South MAY be past its peak. It is much too early to tell. We'll need another week or two of data to tell if the trend is definite.
After the West, the South has sites with the highest levels of COVID in the US: West Bank, New Orleans, LA; Pascagoula Moss Point, MS; Big Creek, Roswell, GA; and Eastern, Orange County, FL.

2026-08-16 23:08:36 UTC

A #COVID19 account posted that the West has exploding COVID levels. That isn't entirely accurate.
As noted yesterday, Anchorage is skyrocketing to near-record levels of COVID in wastewater. As a result, it's pulling up the average line for the West on WastewaterSCAN.
It is true that the average across 39 sites in the West doubled in a week. But if you eliminate Anchorage, the situation isn't as dire. Most are below 70 PMMoV, with hotspots in HI, CA, and CO.
Still, COVID's rising! Be careful.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/107/661/774/023/524/original/dc642271570809bc.png

2026-08-16 22:44:36 UTC

I often post updates about #COVID19 in wastewater, the best way to monitor the levels of COVID and other viruses. Alas, we may lose this soon. Funding for the Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) is set for deep cuts in October 2026. Trump's budget seeks to permanently slash the program's annual budget from $125M to $25M, an 80% reduction. I suspect this will affect WastewaterSCAN data as well. We could soon be flying completely blind, thanks to everyone who voted for Trump. 1/3

2026-08-16 01:58:55 UTC

Something is happening in Anchorage with #COVID19. COVID has exploded an incredible level of 10,450 PMMoV. I'd say this might be an error, but the sewershed has reported 3 consecutive levels with huge increases. If this is true, it suggests 1 in 45 or more is infectious in that city. This would be one of the 5 highest readings ever reported on WastewaterSCAN in any sewershed. It is 12x higher than any other sewershed at present.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/102/698/774/040/334/original/94cc651737ceef66.png

2026-08-15 15:41:20 UTC

For years, COVID-aware accounts shared charts with the red lines, showing #COVID19 surges and lulls were growing thru 2023.
But few of those accounts share charts with the green lines, showing a consistent decline in surges and lulls since 2024.
That doesn't mean the trend will continue. COVID could evolve to be more dangerous (although those risks seem to be easing). Low vax rates could also invite larger surges.
But know that trends are favorable, and stay safe, particularly during surges!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/100/241/238/717/042/original/204f2aa43405ca1d.png

2026-08-15 13:18:43 UTC

Why some precautions are still necessary to prevent #COVID19 reinfections, at least among those most at risk:
STUDY: “The delivery of a 5th vaccine elicited a plateau of spike-specific immunity that remained broadly stable over 100 days in almost all people. Despite this, 15% of residents had a primary infection and 30% became reinfected during 6-months of follow up.”
A couple of caveats worth noting: 1/2
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0354079

2026-08-13 15:22:47 UTC

Average Republican: My grandparents immigrated here with nothing. They faced bigotry, but they worked hard and raised a family with the help of public schools and government aid. They didn't just integrate into the U.S.—they changed its culture with their language, faith, and traditions.
Also Republicans: Those immigrants come here with nothing and expect access to public schools and government aid. They're changing our culture with their language, faith, and traditions. We must stop them.

2026-08-12 22:55:21 UTC

The US average for #COVID19 in wastewater is continuing to rise, and there certainly are many sewersheds with modest increases (under 100 PMMoV). There really are only a couple dozen over 150 PMMoV, concentrated (but not exclusively) in the South. COVID levels are very high in:
Big Creek, Roswell, GA (417 PMMoV, or around 1 in 60 infectious).
West Bank, New Orleans, LA (1 in 70)
Akron, OH (1 in 80)
Northeast, Saint Petersburg, FL (1 in 90) 1/2

2026-08-12 16:28:34 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…tlrx Well, it was the coughers daughter, and I think the old guy had a chronic issue.

2026-08-12 14:43:54 UTC

"He's coughing, but he's not infectious."
And here I thought I successfully hid my concern when someone in the doctor's waiting room starting coughing. 😆

2026-08-11 12:47:20 UTC

- reply

This November, vote! And don't get distracted by the typical right-wing fearmongering BS about communism, socialism, immigrant caravans and invasions, immigrants eating cats and dogs, migrant crime waves, litter boxes in schools, men in women's bathrooms, drag story hours in libraries, critical race theory, noncitizens voting, transgender people in sports, or the dozens of other meaningless things the right uses to distract from the very real and serious issues we face.

2026-08-11 12:37:58 UTC

Want to see the scariest thing on the US CDC's website right now?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/076/907/655/311/614/original/63a5898975d13be9.png

2026-08-09 18:55:17 UTC

Trump is right—two different Americas.
On the left is a man who cheated on all three of his wives, standing by his third wife, who was a nude and fashion model.
On the right is a man who is married to his first wife, who holds a medical degree from Columbia University, a master’s degree from the University of Oxford, and served as co-chief of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Health.
Two Americas—the one on the right is better.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/067/025/403/649/429/original/8fe03eb8a88b2013.png

2026-08-09 03:32:33 UTC

With new #COVID19 data this weekend, the South is surging, along with some other spots. Among the 60 sewersheds reporting to WastewaterSCAN in the South, the average is 166 PMMoV, up from 37 six weeks ago (suggesting ~1 in 158 is infectious in the South.)
Other regions are nowhere near as high:
West: 48 PMMoV
Northeast: 60 PMMoV
Midwest: 83 PMMoV
In the Midwest, all but two sewersheds are below 74 PMMoV. The region's average is affected by Akron, OH and Lincoln, NB, both over 170 PMMoV. 1/2

2026-08-04 13:26:03 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…tk8a Corrected. Thanks.

2026-08-04 13:21:31 UTC

STUDY: “Within the long COVID cohort, full COVID-19 vaccination was associated with a significantly greater small-vessel pulmonary blood volume and lobar airway volume compared with non-vaccinated individuals. “
The study needs further confirmation, but it suggests that #COVID19 has a potential protective effect on pulmonary structure and function.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/14/3/413

2026-08-02 17:06:59 UTC

“If you’re using a $4 million weapon that’s difficult to manufacture to destroy a $35,000 drone that can be easily built at scale, it’s only a matter of time before your defenses are degraded…
“The initial American strategy failed, the war with Iran is consuming the entire region, Iran and Ukraine are risking a face-off, there is evidence that both Russia and China are escalating their military commitments, American munitions stocks are dwindling and Trump is raging.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/02/opinion/iran-war-russia-ukraine-world-war-threat.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2VA.6jin.0Anu--WhBOBv&smid=url-share

2026-08-01 12:05:37 UTC

ExxonMobil and Chevron reported massive second-quarter profits for 2026, totaling over $26 billion combined. ExxonMobil's profit doubled, and Chevron's profit nearly quadrupled from Q2 2025.
Trump's needless war has cost lives, cost taxpayers around $37.5 billion, and has cost consumers $56 billion at the gas pump. Thanks to Republicans, corporate profits are great again. (MAGA: Multiplying Assets for Greedy Americans.)
Vote in November. Every election, every race, every Democrat. #VoteBlue.

2026-07-31 12:51:19 UTC

Care facilities: “We care for people.”
Me: “Then you'll require workers to get vaccinated?”
Facilities: “We don't care that much.”
STUDY of #COVID19 long-term care facilities: “A 10% relative increase in staff vaccination coverage was associated with 2.7 fewer resident infections per 100 beds... The median relative change in vaccination coverage (between (June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024)) was -15% for residents and -53% for staff. “
https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(26)00615-2/abstract

2026-07-30 15:18:04 UTC

I love when people on Mastodon attack me, call me a vulgar name, and then tell me I'm muted. Like, what do they think I'm thinking? "Oh no, this mentally unstable troll is muting me?! Gosh, how can I go on in life knowing that?"
I'm not muted. You're blocked, jerk!

2026-07-30 01:48:11 UTC

Jesus is mentioned 1,310 times in the New International Version of the Bible.
Harry Potter is mentioned roughly 18,956 times across the Wizarding World 7-book series.
Donald Trump, his family, and his businesses are reportedly mentioned 38,000 times across more than 5,300 individual files in the Epstein files.
1/2

2026-07-29 13:16:14 UTC

A COVID-centric account posted that the flow of Long COVID studies has grown so much, they can't even keep up any longer. The truth is precisely the opposite.
I've closely tracked LC studies for four years now, and the flow has decreased. The NIH validates this—the LC section of the LitCovid site demonstrates a steady decrease in LC studies.
Studies are still being published, but it is not true we're seeing more studies than earlier in the pandemic.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/003/432/272/785/598/original/6e3de922514f7a74.png

2026-07-27 17:07:59 UTC

Michigan Republican Jack Bergman was asked about Iran, and his response was, "I'm not going to blame Jimmy Carter, but..."
Donald Trump started an expensive, costly, disasterous war, and the Republicans are blaming... the president who was in office FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
The GOP in 2026: No accountability, no care, no brains, and no ethics.

2026-07-23 17:05:01 UTC

Conservatives ignoring science and putting their health at risk is nothing new. A new study found that, in the 2010s, “conservative Americans experienced worsening health and higher mortality than liberals.” Among the causes is “declining trust in medical professionals among right-leaning individuals, including lower willingness to seek care, follow clinical advice or believe in medication effectiveness, even for issues unrelated to COVID-19.”
FAFO!
https://www.fastcompany.com/91561329/widening-health-gap-between-liberals-and-conservatives

2026-07-21 13:04:39 UTC

#COVID19 is presenting a very modest summer surge in the US. After rising from mid-June to early July, COVID has stopped rising the last two weeks (per WastewaterSCAN data). It still has not risen above the LOWEST point we'd seen in the prior four years. Strangely, WastewaterSCAN is now labeling COVID levels as “high,” even though it's (much) lower than ~90% of the last two years.
1/2
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/958/053/905/836/279/original/6940d5ed8fe02a61.png

2026-07-20 22:54:36 UTC

This, believe it or not, is the caption on a photo on The Guardian website: “Gianni Infantino carefully explains to Donald Trump that he is not part of the Spanish national team.”
https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jul/19/spain-v-argentina-world-cup-2026-final-live-updates
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/954/759/791/100/278/original/9f132cb9b2a00076.png

2026-07-20 20:33:21 UTC

STUDY: "SARS-CoV-2 infection confers substantially greater and more sustained cardiovascular risk than BNT162b2 vaccination… consistent with a favorable cardiovascular risk-benefit profile for vaccination. SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with 3- to 5-fold increases in cardiovascular events during the acute phase… with risks persisting beyond nine months. BNT162b2 vaccination conferred 65-76% reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events." #COVID19
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41541-026-01528-3

2026-07-20 16:46:28 UTC

The Republican mind: “I've been voting in ways that hurt other people all my life, but now it's hurting me, and that's not fair!”
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/953/311/012/323/880/original/49e365a0d84d2236.png

2026-07-18 17:02:31 UTC

We are in a (so far) small summer surge in the US. #COVID19 in wastewater has roughly tripled, but to put this into perspective, here is the chart of US sewersheds over the past 12 months. Our surge remains so mild you can barely see it relative to levels this past year.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/942/037/688/471/194/original/a5c1784fe762965c.png

2026-07-17 18:49:19 UTC

I have a new weekly update on #COVID19 in the US. COVID levels are rising, but they remain well below the levels we've seen the past four years. However, risks are quite diverse. The NWSS indicates COVID viral activity is Moderate in Texas, while 5 of the 7 sewersheds with the highest COVID levels on WastewaterSCAN's database are in Florida.
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/covid-rising-in-portions-of-the-us-but-remains-very-low-in-most-of-the-nation-update-for-july-17-4864e36f5932

2026-07-17 14:19:32 UTC

Air quality is no better today in the Midwest. Air is unhealthy in New York, very unhealthy in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, and hazardous in Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and Milwaukee.
The guidance for levels that are hazardous (above 300 AQI) is to avoid all outdoor activities and exertion, turn on indoor air purifiers with HEPA filters and run your air conditioning on the “recirculation” setting, and wear a well-fitted N95 mask to filter out the fine particulate matter.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/935/738/804/163/741/original/3329e76fdaee525f.png

2026-07-15 01:48:46 UTC

Does anyone here use #eBay to sell items and find it a successful and pleasant experience? I made my first listing in decades, and thus far, it's been a disaster.
My first listing was taken down because sBay said I was trying to sell the item off the platform. I wasn't, and eBay ignored my appeal. So, I listed it a second time, and within one hour I have ZERO bids and TWO scam attempts.
eBay seems like an absolute disaster—a platform run by people who don't care for scammers. Am I wrong?

2026-07-14 17:34:01 UTC

STUDY provides evidence that kids' birthday parties are a #COVID19 risk for grandparents. Not really a surprise, but interesting conclusions:
"Grandparents had 9.9% higher hazard of SARS-CoV-2 infection during birthday risk windows. The risk was greater for birthdays of preschool-aged grandchildren (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.15) than during birthdays of school-aged grandchildren (AHR, 1.07)."
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2851590

2026-07-12 13:37:14 UTC

“I will choose to remember the time before Trump. Because I believe in an America after Trump.”
- Hunter Biden
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/907/271/001/137/717/original/f2d463eaead39f4c.png

2026-07-12 01:51:33 UTC

We forget just how many lives #COVID19 took from us. I was just watching a video about the movie “That Thing You Do” (a favorite of mine), and the guy who wrote the famous song died of COVID complications in April 2020. Adam Schlesinger not only wrote That Thing You Do, but he was also a founding member of several bands (including Fountains of Wayne).
Every time I hear someone say we “overreacted,” I wonder how short their memory was of how many we lost, particularly in 2020 to 2023.

2026-07-07 22:38:32 UTC

I have decided to end my project of maintaining a spreadsheet of #COVID19 studies. After thousands of hours of effort, I think the time has come to move on. The flow of studies has been slowing over the past year.
This spreadsheet will remain online for those interested. And, you can check for newer studies on http://scholar.google.com.
I will continue to track COVID levels and risks in the US.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12VbMkvqUF9eSggJsdsFEjKs5x0ABxQJi5tvfzJIDd3U/edit?usp=sharing

2026-07-05 22:34:24 UTC

A year ago, a mother went on a podcast produced by Children's Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization, and claimed vaccines killed her twins.
She was just indicted on two counts of murder for allegedly suffocating her twins.
https://people.com/mom-claimed-toddler-twins-died-vaccines-charged-murder-12011327
https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/crime/mother-accused-in-death-twin-toddlers-arraigned-in-payette/277-0a015bcc-6dee-4b07-8b5c-94749c1cfbd8

2026-07-04 05:28:49 UTC

Happy Independence Day to all Americans except the ones who attacked the Capitol on January 6th, the people who supported and encouraged it, those who excused it, and everyone who elected them.

2026-07-03 16:57:24 UTC

No new wastewater data from the CDC today due to the holiday. #COVID19 is rising in the US for the first time since December, based on WastewaterSCAN's incomplete data. The positive rate is also gently rising.
Thus far, the rise is modest and not accelerating. Even with the recent rise, levels are still more than 75% lower than the LOWEST levels we saw from mid-2022 to mid-2025. If this develops into a true summer surge (and I think it may), it is likely to be the lowest surge since 2020.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/857/066/064/928/807/original/4cb4d9d7c6b41881.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/857/086/531/682/925/original/234f7396c4d0a3f5.png

2026-07-02 16:15:56 UTC

Someone's going to give me crap for this, but...
If Donald Trump Jr. planned a giant wedding at Madison Square Garden for Independence Day weekend, involving dozens of environment-destroying semis, flying 1,000 guests around, and closing off blocks in midtown on one of NYC's busiest holiday weekends, we'd all be bitching about the privilege and waste of wealth.
But, it's Taylor Swift, so it's all okay, I guess.

2026-06-26 14:46:32 UTC

Republican Thomas Massie: “I think it’s ironic that we control the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court, and the White House, and we’re yelling election fraud? I mean, we won all the damn elections and we’re in charge.”
How come it takes a Republican losing their primary before they're willing to find a spine, be minimally objective, and demonstrate care for the nation rather than just Donald Trump?
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5942163-massie-warns-republican-losses/

2026-06-25 23:59:21 UTC

A day ago, I noted the Biobot believes #COVID19 is rising in US wastewater, and WastewaterSCAN seemed to indicate a rise as well. I said it was too early to tell, but it could be the start of a summer surge. But, as often happens with WastewaterSCAN, as more data filtered in, the trend adjusted. Now, it's back to looking quite flat.
False alarm? We'll see in the coming days or week. For now, however, it seems the summer surge is not beginning.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/813/448/546/290/010/original/ab5cc0fb310b175c.png

2026-06-24 12:56:58 UTC

Two months ago: “The notion that a flu vaccine must be mandatory for every service member everywhere in every circumstance at all times is just overly broad and not rational.”
Today: “The Army, Navy and Air Force are once again requiring flu shots for basic trainees, according to officials.”
All it took was a major flu outbreak that sickened hundreds and may have killed one recruit.
Getting vaccinated is rational; rejecting vaccines' well-studied benefits is not.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-announces-end-military-flu-vaccine-requirement

2026-06-20 17:46:55 UTC

Earlier today, I posted that #COVID19 in wastewater has been low steady for six weeks or so--steadier then it's even been.
The same is true of positive rate. According to Biofire, the positive rate of testing for COVID has remained low and rock-solid steady.
I'd expect to see both COVID in wastewater and the positive rate to rise at the start of our summer surge. No sign thus far.
The positive rate was 3x higher a year ago and 6x higher two years ago on this date.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/783/663/632/206/936/original/5bbf882d442e9814.png

2026-06-18 15:06:05 UTC

A STUDY of 169 patients with Long #COVID19 referred for evaluation of orthostatic intolerance found that central sensitization (CS) was present in 81% of participants. (Central sensitization is a condition where the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord—becomes hyper-reactive, amplifying pain and sensory signals.)
https://www.jns-journal.com/article/S0022-510X(26)00340-0/abstract

2026-06-17 12:56:33 UTC

STUDY: The odds of getting Long #COVID19 increased "with older age, female sex, Black racial identity, earlier variant, non-vaccination, lower pre-infection self-reported mental and cognitive health, and number of pre-infection symptoms... It was less likely for participants with no common long COVID symptoms occurring before infection."
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0330793

2026-06-16 14:07:15 UTC

I continue to worry about two primary things with #COVID19: COVID in kids (who have less immunity and are undervaccinated) and the impact of reinfections (which studies find adds to the risk of Long COVID.)
This STUDY of LC in kids found that for children over 8 years, individuals with a history of reinfection had almost a 10X higher odds ratio of Long COVID.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2026.1691052/full?utm_source=F-NTF&utm_medium=EMLX&utm_campaign=PRD_FEOPS_20170000_ARTICLE

2026-06-13 12:34:50 UTC

I used to share PMC estimates and forecasts about #COVID19, but in the two years, I've come to the conclusion Hoerger inflates estimates.
No one knows precisely how to convert wastewater levels into actual case counts. Hoerger always estimates many cases, while others like JWeiland look at the same data and estimate MUCH fewer infectious cases.
A simple experiment demonstrates, I believe, how inaccurate PMC is. 1/3

2026-06-12 13:20:26 UTC

Today's “duh” research study is a reminder to get vaccinated!
STUDY: Within households, "the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant showed a high SAR (secondary attack rate) which was modifiable by vaccination…The SAR was highest when both the index case and the contacts were unvaccinated or received only one vaccine dose (88 %)."
We are much less likely to spread #COVID19 to those in our household if we and they are vaccinated!
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590136225000324

2026-06-11 12:40:07 UTC

A reminder that not everything is #COVID19. I sometimes see people post about how “everyone” is sick or coughing, and they imply it's COVID. Here, a STUDY looked at PCR tests for people who visited a Turkish hospital for suspected respiratory tract infection in 2024 and 2025. They found 39.4% were negative. Of the viruses found:
Rhinovirus: 17.9%
Adenovirus: 9.6%
RSV A/B: 7.9%
SARS-CoV-2: 6.7%
SARS-CoV-2 exhibited the broadest age distribution.
https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/farabimedj/article/1934767

2026-06-10 13:44:06 UTC

The NWSS will publish new data on #COVID19 in US wastewater in two days. We can expect no change, with no evidence of a summer surge yet forming.
WastewaterSCAN's thinner data shows COVID is very low and steady: https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker?charts=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%3D&selectedChartId=41daaf
Biofire's positive rate of COVID is also low and steady: https://www.syndromictrends.com/
We've had only one year (2023) with a later start to the summer surge than this year. And we haven't had a summer surge start from a level this low since 2021. 1/2

2026-06-09 13:53:32 UTC

I continue to track #COVID19 in US wastewater. Per WastewaterSCAN, COVID has been lower than current levels for just 5 weeks since 2020.
It is one-third lower than it's ever been since 2021.
And it is 75% lower than it's ever been since 2022.
We're approaching the longest lull of the pandemic.
And the past month has seen the steadiest levels of COVID of the pandemic.
No sign of a summer surge—yet.
https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker?charts=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%3D&selectedChartId=f0889c
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/720/469/530/687/568/original/48cc5b27f0a4a0b9.png

2026-06-08 12:25:55 UTC

- reply

COVID hospital data is also terribly incomplete--just 194 counties representing 14% of the US population report on respiratory illness hospitalizations to the CDC.
Thanks to wastewater analysis, we're not flying blind, but the Trump administration is trying to slash funding for the National Wastewater Surveillance System.
Always enough money for tax cuts and wars, never enough for public health.
2/2

2026-06-08 12:25:47 UTC

When I post about #COVID19 in wastewater, a common response is that testing volumes are low. That is NOT correct—at least not yet.
Testing is low in PCR tests, so positive rate of testing is a weak signal. (To some extent, it always was, however, since testing volume varied so much by season.)
And genomic testing is disappointingly miniscule. The CDC's variant Nowcast hasn't been updated in a month due to low volumes, and only 16 sequences have been reported in Europe in the past 3 weeks. 1/2

2026-06-04 13:17:50 UTC

Well, this sucks. The Trump administration is cutting the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) budget from around $125 million a year to about $25 million.
We could lose the most cost-effective and accurate methods we have to track #COVID19, flu, RSV and other pathogens in the US.
I think we'd still have smaller private sources, such as WastewaterSCAN, but I'm not sure how much of the monitoring by individual sewersheds is funded by the NWSS.
1/2
https://www.newsweek.com/worrying-covid-cicada-variant-spreads-as-us-maps-go-dark-12019859

2026-06-02 12:40:48 UTC

Nothing says “art of the deal” like telling the nation with whom you started a needless war that you find negotiations "very boring” and “couldn't care less” if the talks break down.
We had Iran contained and monitored with an open Strait of Hormuz, and thanks to Trump's war, we're going to leave Iran empowered and controlling a portion of the world's oil supply. Brilliant!
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/01/us/politics/trump-iran-negotiations-boring.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share